Houma paramedic is 'the best of EMS’

ROBERT ZULLO Staff Writer

Monday

May 26, 2008 at 3:00 PM

When the Acadian Ambulance Air Med helicopter leaves from the Houma airport on a call, the paramedics on board are usually headed to a dire situation, where time and the medicsí skill is of utmost importance. "You have to be at the top of your game because a lot of time youíre getting the worst of the worst in patients," said Joe Szush, Acadianís operations manager for a six-parish area that includes Terrebonne and Lafourche.

HOUMA -- When the Acadian Ambulance Air Med helicopter leaves from the Houma airport on a call, the paramedics on board are usually headed to a dire situation, where time and the medicsí skill is of utmost importance.

"You have to be at the top of your game because a lot of time youíre getting the worst of the worst in patients," said Joe Szush, Acadianís operations manager for a six-parish area that includes Terrebonne and Lafourche.

None of the veteran paramedics who staff Acadianís air ambulances are more on top of their "game" than 36-year-old Houma native Glenn Naquin Jr., named Paramedic of the Year at the companyís annual luncheon May 17.

"Glenn, heís been fantastic since he first started," Szush said. "He always does the right thing. Heís very professional."

A 1990 graduate of H.L. Bourgeois High, Naquin joined Acadian in 1994. He worked his way up to a spot on the helicopter dispatched to treat critically hurt wreck victims down the bayou, injured or ill rig workers in the Gulf of Mexico, or any other situation where its unlikely a ground ambulance will make it in time.

"For me, it was always just a desire to help people," Naquin said.

Naquin volunteered with the U.S. Air Force Auxiliaryís Civil Air Patrol when he was in high school and logged 70 hours of flight time at Nicholls State Universityís now defunct flight school.

Though he never completed the program, Naquin says he plans on finishing up and getting his pilotís license, when he can spare the time.

"That was my biggest desire, to become a commercial pilot," he said.

Working as a flight paramedic, however, is a close second.

"To me, it was just combining the best of both worlds," he said.

When Naquin, an ordained minister and a pastor at First United Pentecostal Church in Houma, might be able to steal the hours to finish the training for his pilotís license is anyoneís guess.

Naquin became the churchís Spanish pastor, ministering to the churchís Hispanic congregrants, after attending language-immersion programs in Guatemala. The language skills have helped Naquin translate on the job with Acadian and at a local domestic-violence shelter, where he volunteers.

"Thatís been one of the greatest things that Iíve done," Naquin said of learning Spanish.

He also serves as chaplain in Acadianís Critical Incident Stress Management program, designed to help paramedics and emergency-medical technicians handle the stress and emotional toll of dealing with trauma and death daily.

"It just gives employees a chance to vent and a chance to discuss things," he said.

Generally, Naquin said spending his off days with Brandy, his wife of 15 years, and their son Jeffrie is enough to manage the weight of his on-the-job pressures.

"My way of coping is having time to myself and time with my family," Naquin said.

Acadian, which provides ambulance services in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, honored Naquin with the Paramedic of the Year award at a luncheon that included LSU football coach Les Miles and U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., as guest speakers.

The award carries more weight because employees nominate coworkers for the distinction, Szush said.

"Itís special because theyíre nominated by their peers," he added.

Paramedics are allowed to win just once in their careers, Naquin said.

"I was extremely shocked. I never anticipated getting the award," he added. "Thereís a lot of other good paramedics out there Ö Everything that Iíve done Iíve picked up from somebody else Ö Iíve had some great mentoring."

In Naquin, Acadian has a meticulous, skilled paramedic that "represents the best of EMS," Szush said.

"Heís always come through and exceeded expectations Ö Weíre very proud of him," Szush said. "Iíve never heard anybody say a cross word about him, and Iíve never heard him say a cross word about anybody else."

Staff Writer Robert Zullo can be reached at 985-850-1150 or robert.zullo@houmatoday.com.

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